Atraumatic surgical needle



Jan. 8, 1952 J VILLEGAS 2,581,564

ATRAUMATIC SURGICAL NEEDLE Filed OCt. 20, 1949 Fig. 2 /0 /2 Fig. 7. Jaime Villegas INVENTOR.

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77 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATRAUMATIC SURGICAL NEEDLE Jaime Villegas, Manizales, Colombia Application October 20, 1949, Serial No. 122,407

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain. new

and useful improvements in atraumatic surgical needles in which manufacturers, surgeons and patients will find their unqualified needs and requirements fully met, contained and aptly available. As the introductory statement implies, there are many and varied styles and forms of surgical needles, some hollow from end to end, others solid from end to end and still others partly hollow and partly solid. Then, too, it is a matter of common knowledge that so-called atraumatic needles are being successfully manufactured and extensively used. Briefly, a common atraumatic needle is characterized by a cylinder or cylindricalslender rod of steel which is pointed at one end and has a bore or socket at the opposite end into which an end portion of the gut suture, thread or equivalent stitching element is inserted and fastened. It is important in this type of a needle that the outside diameter of the needle be the same as or slightly greater than the corresponding diameter of the gut-thread in order that a single strand may be advantageously uti lized for stitching purposes. With an atraumatic type needle thus joined with a single strand thread, the stitch hole made by the needle will not produce an objectionable trauma in the living tissues.

It is customary that these types of atraumatic needles having a longitudinal slot at the socket end, which slot communicates with the socket and wherein at least one longitudinal edge portion of the slot is clenched inwardly to grip and thus anchor the thread in the socket. It is common practicethat these needles be shipped in glass tubes containing xylene. the needle being previously sterilized. Once the suture is performed, the needle must be discarded for it cannot be threaded again. This means that such a needle can be used only once or twice, depending on the length of the thread which remains after the first use or service has been concluded.

The object of the present invention is, obviously, to provide the trade and profession with an atraumatic needle which is such that it may be used repeatedly. That is to say, the needle which constitutes the subject matter of the instant application is unique which maintains the desired features of an atraumatic type and may be threaded time and again without involving un usually tedious and painstaking efiort. Briefly semmer eqpiln ieve i w e eei he ein pm eated has to do with an" atraumatic "metallic 2 needle which is wholly or partially tubular, which is so constructed at the thread attaching end that it can be threaded, unthreaded and sterilized repeatedly.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon a needle of the type stated wherein the slot, generally speaking, is keyhole-shaped with the circular end portion of the slot constituting an eye, the latter opening into the socket and with the remainder of the slot opening through the trailing end of the body of the needle. 7

What is more, it is within the purview of the invention to devise and provide the stated socketed needle with a key-hole slot wherein the inner hole end or eye of the slot is spaced rearwardly from the forward closed end portion of the socket, wherein the remainder of the slot is either linearly straight and parallel with the long axis of the needle body, is straight but V- shaped in outline; or, takes the form of a helical curve, making it possible to conveniently feed .the leading end of the thread through the hole or eye and into the socket forwardly beyond the hole and to thereafter press the trailing end portion of the thread into the socket by way of the stated remainder or long reach of said slot.

Other objectives and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a wholly hollow atraumatic needle constructed in accordance with the invention and showing, in dotted lines, the manner in which the thread or gut is attached.

Figure 2 is a view of the same with the needle rotated through an approximate are and with the thread appearing in full lines.

Figure 3 is an exaggerated cross section on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is what may be referred to as a top plan view, similar to Figure 1, showing a partly hollow and partly solid atraumatic needle embodying the features of this invention, the slot being of helical form. V

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the same needle as seen in Figure 4 but with the thread attached andlwith the slot having a substantially' ll -shaped reach, portion. I I] lit fi and a en ar d-g ss- .se i bns on the'lilies s s and 1-4 rspectiveiy (ensure 5 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows. I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan View showing the threadable end portion of an atraumatic needle, for example, the type shown in Figure 5, but with the reach portion of the slot of uniform width and straight from end to end instead of V-shaped.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals and accompanying lead lines and with reference first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral Hi designates a metal tubular atraumatic type needle having its leading end obliquely mitered to provide the customary beveled penetrating point I2. The trailing end of body of the needle is such that the lumen provides the aforementioned socket for accommodation of the gut or equivalent thread l4. In

these three figures, the key-hole-shaped slot has a circular end portion or hole I6 and a main portion or reach :8 which latter opens at one end into the hole and opens at its opposite end through the trailing end portion of the needle its opposite end into a hole or eye It with both l6 and [8 having open communication with the socket or lumen of the needle. I would call attention to Figure 3 which, on the basis of the large scale presented, brings out the fact that one edge portion of the slot is is radially inturned as at 2D to provide a clenching or binding lip. Thus, the thread is compressed in the 1nanner shown and securely anchored in place.

The leading end of the gut or thread is denoted by the numeral 22 and the trailing end portion at 24.

To thread the needle I simply hold it horizonshown) held with the left hand, the blunt end pointing towards the right, having hole 86 on the upper side; and having a suitable length of gut I4 of adequate diameter passed through hole Hi pushing it towards the pointed end for a convenient length. Then, I remove the needle from the clamp or holder and, pressing with the left thumbnail or left thumb finger tip to squeeze the gut, down through the slot [8, while the right hand cautiously pulls dexterously the free end of the gut, the latter being forced to go through the slot into the lumen of the tube being firmly gripped by the turnedein lip Zil. The wedging of the gut secured in this needle is so strong, that a heavy pull is necessary to dislodge the thread out of my atraumatic needle. unthread the needle, using adequate clamps to hold needle and gut. After unthreading, a new piece of gut may be threaded in to continue the suture. Itis evident that, since the outside diameter of the needle is greaterthanithe diameter of the thread, the stitch hole producedw'ill not be enlarged by the thread, avoidingtrauma in the tissues, which is highly desirable.

In the form ofthe invention described, there may be a single clenched retaining lip 21! and the edge 26 may be unturned; or both edges may be curled inwardly at the time of manufacture to provide a dual clenchingand clamping action.

It will be noted that when the thread. is home, the' leading end portionZZ is w'ell'up' in the socket beyond the hole or eye I 6.

Referring'to the invention as depicted in Fig 4, there are no changes in the invention as such. im l ae g es in iii rest ind p In this fashion, I

' into said socket.

a surgical needle, that is, the type denoted at 28 and having a socketed end portion 30 and a curved rigid end portion 32 which in cross section is substantially triangular, as brought out in the drawings. The same reference characters are used here to designate the identical parts shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

The same needle is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, that is the same type as illustrated in Fig. 4 but, for convenience, the needle will be separately identified at 34. The shank portion 36 is solid and curved and the trailing end portion is formed with a socket 38. Here the eye or hole is denoted at 40 and the main slot at 42 and this is straight from end to end but V-shaped in general outline. The lips forming the edges of the slot are both inturned or curled in for clencher gripping action as shown in Fig. 6 and these lips are denoted at M and 45. Here the gut thread is conveniently denoted by the numeral 48.

A furtherexemplification of the invention is depicted in Fig. 8 wherein the atraumatic needle is denoted, generally, by the numeral 5? the same having a socket 52 which is accessible to the thread 54 by way of the key-hole shaped slot. The circular or eye portion at the inner end is denoted at 55 and the main reach portion at 58. Here the reach is straight from end to' end, of uniform width and parallel to the long axis of the needle. It will be seen that the key-hole slot means may therefore be straight as shown in Fig. 8, V-shaped as shown in Fig. 5, or helical as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, all of these variations being within the generic aspectof the invention.

Any combinations of pointed ends, lengths, diameters, sizes, and shape of grooves may .be used to produce any desired needle which may be straight or bent, according to'the use intended, hollow throughout, or in part. I prefer to manufacture these needles employing a springy steel, either of the plain carbon. or the stainless steel variety. Although other metals may be used, the best results have been obtained withthe iron and its alloys, rather than non-ferrous alloys.

A careful consider'ationof the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of meritand novelty sufficient to clarifyrthe construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so longfas no departure is madefrom the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is 7 ing provided with a single slot opening through i said socket so asfto allow theleading end .of the thread to be..p assed,through'theeye lodged in the socketata. point beyond saideye, andthe remainder of the thread pressed through the slot '75 i2. The structure specified lin fclaim at least one edge portion of the solt is curled radially inward to provide a friction detent lip for retentive contact with the thread.

3. An atraumatic surgical needle of the class,

shown and described comprising a body portion l having an axial thread accommodating socket at its trailing end said socket being closed at its forward end and opening at its rearward end through said trailing end, a wall portion of one side only of the socket having a single key-hole 5. The structure specified in claim 3, wherein the closed forward end portion of said socket extends to a point well in advance of said eye and wherein the main reach portion of the slot is relatively narrow, straight, and uniform in width from end to end.

6. The structure specified in claim 1, wherein one edge portion of the slot is straight from end to end and the other edge portion of the slot is curled radially inward to provide a friction detent lip for retentive contact with the thread.

. JAIME VILLEGAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UN TTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 784,995 Edwards Mar. 14, 1905 1,131,155 Murphy Mar. 9, 1915 

